Jagged Embrace

Chapter 62 - Ander

Ander perched on the bed, still groggy from the dose of ibuprofen last night. Will told him in the morning they were leaving for a retrieval mission. He understood what that really meant and felt partially responsible, because he knew they would have to gather at least one additional item because he broke several pieces of medical equipment during his stay at the veterinary hospital.

He shifted, already losing patience with the sling he was required to wear. Maeve smiled at him as she finished packing her bag. It was the smile she gave only to him. He stopped breathing for a heartbeat, caught in her beauty. Will opened the room door and hauled more bags to the SUV. He refused to allow Ander to carry anything.

Maeve had stayed with him at night since he returned, however, he was certain she would be with Will tonight. Will gazed at her with hunger, his intent clear. Where would Ander go? He would not remain in the room while they copulated. They piled into the SUV. Ander had not yet accessed his laptop, so he was not sure where they were headed.

"Can you set those up with one hand?" Will asked and pointed to new cell phones, still in their boxes, on the console. "Mason ordered them, and I picked them up this morning."

Ander nodded and reached for a box. Will put the keys in the ignition and started the vehicle and then glanced at him, peeling the stickers off the box to open it. He snatched it out of his hand and opened it, ripping the exterior of the box. Ander frowned. Will continued and then pulled the phone out and handed it to him, and placed the open box in his lap.

"What? It's mine, and it was gonna be a pain in the ass to open with one hand. You want me to open yours?" Will asked with a grin.

"I'll open it," Maeve offered from the back seat.

Will handed her the other box and then plugged in the car charger before he pulled out. Ander focused on setting up Will's phone to lessen the pain from the seat belt against his right shoulder. It was comforting to get Will's phone functioning, something he excelled at and Will hated.

His mind wandered as he went into the settings to set Will's preferences. Ander had not said anything to Will, but when he was in the shower, he observed that the brand Will and Mason placed on his chest was damaged. The werewolf's claws had ripped out a piece of it and broke the seal. He did not think Mason or Will saw it when he was bloody and open, but now that he was on the mend, it was obvious.

Ander debated whether to tell Mason and Will. He understood the danger of the symbol being broken, but he was also fairly certain it had been why he could cast sphere of darkness, which severely wounded the alpha. If he had not used the incantation, it was difficult to predict how successful they would have been.

"Your phone is set up as you like it to be," Ander told him.

"Awesome, thanks. Hey, I..." Will began, but his voice trailed off as he stared at the road in front of them. "Look, before, I was an asshole. You fucked up and shouldn't have drunk-casted, but that doesn't make it okay to hit you. I don't want to be..." Will cleared his throat. "I don't want to be like him. I'm sorry."

Ander sat motionless in the seat, his hand still holding Will's new cell phone. Not only had Will given him an apology, but he also sounded earnest. Silence filled the SUV.

"You are not like him. You are better than he ever was," Ander told Will.

Will did not respond, but Ander sensed a weight lifted from his cousin's shoulders by his words. Why had he apologized to him? Was it because he had been injured?

"Here's your phone, and I didn't rip the box." Maeve leaned forward to hand him his phone.

He turned slightly in the seat to retrieve the phone, his shoulder protesting. It must be because of her. Ander took the phone and repeated the tasks, only this time with his preferences. His mind still reviewed Will's words.